I have no answer myself because I was never good at kicking asses.
You make them into funny anagrams and taunt their owners with them. Charles = Rachels. . .haha!
You take them.
But in seriousness, I always assumed you take names with the intention of dealing with the people later or you take the names to make sure those people don’t come back. Sort of another way of saying “Shoot first, ask questions later”
List them so you can make entries in their permanent records.
What do you do with the names?: Write them down on a notepad that you dangle from your balls to show the next guy who starts getting funny ideas…
…Oh, I almost forgot, I’ve got your name here somewhere, just give me a second, I’ll let you have it back, the notepad’s getting too heavy…Bwahahaha! 
I always assumed it was a pride thing, listing your accomplishments. “I beat X! And Y! And even Z!!” Like hanging the battle flag or personal weapon of a defeated enemy on the wall of your throne room.
When you kick ass, you need to take the names because then you will know who blindsides you later.
OK, so what it really means is that in real life, there are some people who can kick ass, and the rest of us are relegated to taking names, so that we know whose asses to tell our big brothers to kick. The expression is that the guy is doing so well, he’s not only kicking asses now, he’s taking their names so he can do it again later.
–Cliffy
Screw the names-I’m still looking for some gum to chew.
I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I’m all out of ass.
I always assumed you took the names first (“taking names and kicking asses”). Then, after you make your list, you know whose asses to go kick. Then you can cross those names off. It’s like Earl’s karma list, only you’re karma.
You take the names so you can send them “get well soon” cards.
Possibly so your next of kin have a ‘potential suspects’ list.
I apologize for feeling the need to post this musical interlude.
You take names so that you can sell them to online marketers.
Ah-ha!!
It’s always looked like this to me:
- Kick ass/take names
- ???
- Profit!
Now I know step two.
Um, I think it works like this: the usual process would be to write down the names of the troublemakers first, then write a stern letter to their parents recommending further discipline after those hoodlums returned home. Then they’d find themselves grounded for sure, they’d have time to reflect upon their poor behavior and how they might behave better in the future.
Under the current circumstances, though, let’s stomp their asses first, retrieve any dogtags we can find after the vultures are done with the battlefield, and send the names on those dogtags back to ask if they’ve got any cousins who might provide more of a challenge. We’ll figure out something else to do with the dogtags themselves.
Whatever the f*ck you want to do with 'em!
Well, after I’ve taken away somebody’s name, I prefer to give them a number.
Write it down on your empty gum wrapper(s)